South Korea completely suspends military alliance with North Korea

South Korea has decided to completely suspend a 2018 agreement to ease tensions between the two Koreas. The move followed North Korea’s release of balloons filled with garbage.

The National Security Council decided at its working session on Monday that the pact would be suspended until mutual trust is restored. The military agreement was signed by the previous South Korean government in 2018.

North Korea has been sending giant balloons filled with garbage and waste to the South since late last month, attempting to jam GPS signals in the Yellow Sea off the western coast of the Korean peninsula.

The South Korean presidential office said North Korea’s recent provocations had caused significant harm and threat to its population and had a negative impact on its military’s operational readiness.

The decision will be finally announced by the Cabinet on Tuesday. The President’s Office said the suspension of the agreement will allow the military to conduct exercises near the military demarcation line between the two Koreas and respond more appropriately and quickly to North Korean provocations.

Last November, Seoul suspended part of the pact after Pyongyang claimed to have successfully launched a military satellite for the first time.

North Korea responded by announcing that it would no longer adhere to the agreement.